The Rotherham Bugle

A Rotherham man who vowed to live a totally self sufficient life in a shed  at the bottom of his garden four  months ago,  says he is still fighting  fit and healthy this week. “I’ve never felt better.” he told us.

Back in June, we reported on how Nigel Beckett,  52 from Kimberworth had made the difficult decision to leave his old life behind and make a completely fresh start. Friends and workmates of  the father of four say they’re delighted that the man who pledged to go it alone with no help from the outside world, has come to no harm whatsoever.

“I knew he’d be alright,” said Donald Leverman,  who works with Nigel  “Everyone  was saying he’d be really suffering by now, but he looks as good as he ever did.  It just shows how wrong they were. Even the doctors  and other experts didn’t expect him to come through it unscathed, but he has. There seem to be no ill effects whatsoever. It shows he made the right decision.”

Not everyone is so impressed with the ‘miracle’ though. Tony Romain who lives next door to Nigel sounded a note of caution. “Yes he looks fine now, “ he said “but that’s because he hasn’t done anything yet. All he’s done is say that he’s going to move into the shed and be self sufficient. It’s all talk.. He’s still living in the house and shopping at Tesco. Nowt’s happened yet, so why would he have come to any harm? When he moves in to his shed it could be a totally different story.”

Nigel’s wife Theresa agrees, “I don’t really want him to move into the shed at all if I’m honest.” she said “because I don’t think he’ll survive out there on his own. So I keep telling him we need to sort a few things out first and that’s keeping him happy for now. I’m hoping he’ll just forget about it or come to his senses. But don’t tell him. He thinks he’s doing really well, bless him.”